A high proportion of I. trypherus sites occur on freehold land that is not managed primarily for conservation purposes. This objective aims to increase the legislative protection afforded these sites through the following mechanisms:

Action 1.1: The DEC will advise landholders of the opportunities and advantages of entering into conservation agreements and covenants

Opportunities for such agreements include Voluntary Conservation Agreements under the NP&W Act, Joint Management Agreements and Property Management Plans under the TSC Act, and appropriately worded covenants under the Conveyancing Act 1919.

Action 1.2: Councils will ensure that when Local Environment Plans and Development Control Plans are prepared, or reviewed, they have reference to this recovery plan and any future advice from the DEC regarding the distribution and ecology of the species

The only confirmed I. trypherus sites on land that is not under secure zoning occur at Stockyard

Actions and Performance Criteria

The overall objective of this recovery plan is to provide for the continued and long-term survival of I. trypherus in the wild by preventing the loss of populations of the species.

The specific recovery objectives are:

To prevent the loss of sites through land-use change;

To identify and manage the threats operating at sites that contain the species;

To provide the community with information that assists in conserving the species;

To raise awareness of the species and involve the community in the recovery program;

To establish the extent of the current distribution of the species;

To promote research that will assist with the management of the species;

To implement an ex-situ conservation program for the species.

Mountain. Under this action, Shellharbour City Council will consider rezoning the land that contains the six Stockyard Mountain sites for environmental protection. Such rezoning is proposed in the draft Shellharbour Rural LEP 2001 where the sites occupy a 7(n) Nature Conservation land-use zone and are designated as Areas of High Conservation Value. If the LEP is gazetted in its present form, these provisions are expected to provide an increased level of legislative protection to the sites in question.

Two I. trypherus records from the 1940s (Ir15 and Ir17) occur on freehold properties in Shoalhaven LGA that are zoned for rural land-uses, however the accuracy of these records is questionable (see Section 5.4.1). Surveys to verify the existence of these sites will be undertaken by the DEC under Action 2.1 of this plan. The results of these surveys will be supplied to Shoalhaven City Council for consideration during the preparation and review of relevant environmental planning instruments.

Action 1.3: The Department of Infrastructure

Planning and Natural Resources will ensure that when Environmental Planning Instruments are prepared, or reviewed, they have reference to this recovery plan and any future advice from the DEC regarding the distribution and ecology of the species

Action 1.4: Councils and the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources will assess developments and activities with reference to this recovery plan, environmental impact assessment guidelines (Appendix 2) and any future advice from the DEC regarding the distribution, threats, biology and ecology of the species

Action 1.5: The DEC, in consultation with the recovery team, will reconsider the need for a declaration of critical habitat following the results of further survey and ecological investigation

Performance Criterion 1

Threats operating at I. trypherus sites (in addition to land clearing, which is addressed under Specific Objective 1) include agricultural activities (including grazing and trampling by livestock, vegetation slashing, and herbicide spraying), roadside and dry stone wall maintenance activities, weed invasion and rubbish dumping. Actions under this objective aim to manage these threats through the implementation of appropriate in-situ threat abatement measures (including bush regeneration, fencing to exclude livestock, feral animal control and monitoring) in accordance with site management statements.

Action 2.1: The DEC will undertake surveys to determine the status of all sites that were not surveyed during the preparation of this plan

The sites that are relevant to this action are Ir4, Ir6, Ir8, Ir14, Ir15, Ir16, and Ir17.

Performance Criterion 2.1

All relevant sites surveyed within two years, subject to landholder approval.

Action 2.2: The DEC will prepare guidelines to prevent damage to the species during the implementation of on-ground works

The DEC, in consultation with the recovery team, will prepare guidelines for bush regeneration, monitoring and survey work at I. trypherus sites, with the aim of preventing unnecessary disturbance to those sites. The completed guidelines will be distributed to all of the parties involved in the implementation of this recovery plan.

Performance Criterion 2.2

Guidelines for the implementation of on-ground works prepared within one year.

Action 2.3: The DEC will prepare site management statements for sites that are located on land that is managed by the DEC

Site management statements will be prepared following the proforma in Appendix 3 for all sites on DEC managed land. These statements will detail the specific threat abatement measures that are required at each site and a timetable for the implementation of these measures. The sites that are relevant to this action are Ir2, Ir10, Ir11, Ir12, Ir13 and Ir18.

Ir14 has not been included in this action, as it is an old record that is of questionable accuracy. The DEC will undertake surveys in the vicinity of this site (under Action 2.1) and if extant plants are located, local Area staff will be notified.

Performance criterion 2.3

Site management statements for relevant sites prepared within one year.

Action 2.4: The DEC will implement threat abatement measures in accordance with the site management statements prepared under Action 2.3

Performance criterion 2.4

Threat abatement measures for relevant sites implemented in accordance with site management statements.

Action 2.5: The DEC in consultation with landholders will prepare site management statements for sites that are located on freehold land

The DEC, in consultation with, and subject to the approval of, landholders, will assess the condition of sites that are located on freehold land and prepare site management statements (following the proforma in Appendix 3) that detail the specific threat abatement measures required at those sites and a timetable to implement those measures.

Performance criterion 2.5

Site management statements prepared for all sites on freehold land within one year, subject to landholder approval.

Action 2.6: The DEC will encourage and assist landholders in the implementation of threat abatement measures on freehold land, in accordance with site management statements prepared under Action 2.5

Performance Criterion 2.6

Threat abatement measures for relevant sites implemented in accordance with site management statements within five years, subject to landholder approval.

Action 2.7: The DEC will aim to undertake the monitoring of all sites that contain the species

The DEC will monitor each confirmed site at least twice during the period of this recovery plan. This monitoring will aim to:

Improve knowledge of population dynamics.

Determine the extent and intensity of threatening processes operating at sites;

Assess the effectiveness of threat abatement measures; and

Maintain contact with landholders.

Performance Criterion 2.7

All confirmed sites monitored twice within five years, subject to landholder approval.

The prompt and effective distribution of information on I. trypherus and its habitat is an important component of ensuring that the conservation requirements of the species are appropriately considered in environmental impact assessment, land-use planning, and land management processes. Actions under this objective use the following mechanisms to aid the dissemination of information about the species:

Continued coordination of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Team;

Prompt distribution of accurate location records to relevant parties; and

Action 3.1: The DEC will coordinate regular meetings of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Team

The DEC will continue to coordinate regular meetings of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Team to oversee the implementation of this recovery plan. These recovery team meetings will also serve to facilitate discussion on the management of the species and the dissemination of information to key stakeholders.

Performance Criterion 3.1

Meetings of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Team held twice a year.

Action 3.2: The DEC will coordinate the prompt distribution of accurate site records through the Atlas of NSW Wildlife

Performance Criterion 3.2

Location records available on the Atlas of NSW Wildlife within four months of verification or discovery.

Action 3.3: The DEC will update the profile and environmental impact assessment guidelines for the species to incorporate information acquired during the implementation of this recovery plan

Performance Criterion 3.3

Action 3.4: Public authorities will inform the DEC of decisions that may affect the species, in accordance with statutory requirements

Public authorities will inform the EPRD if planning or development decisions are made that may effect I. trypherus or its habitat, in accordance with statutory requirements. For the purposes of this action, public authorities are taken to include the following:

Wollongong City Council;

Shellharbour City Council;

Kiama Municipal Council;

Shoalhaven City Council;

Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources; and

Rural Fire Service.

The Rural Fire Service will implement this action, with respect to bush fire hazard reduction, by ensuring that there is adequate access by the DEC to temporal and spatial data from the Bushfire Risk Information Management System.

Performance Criterion 3.4

In order to enhance the social benefits of the recovery program for I. trypherus, actions under this objective aim to raise awareness of the recovery plan and involve the community in its implementation.

Action 4.1: The DEC will prepare and distribute an annual newsletter detailing progress of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Program

The DEC will prepare an annual newsletter to raise awareness of the Illawarra Regional Threatened Flora Recovery Program (which includes the I. trypherus recovery program) and encourage community involvement in its implementation. The newsletter will be distributed to affected landholders, public authorities, community groups and interested individuals.

Performance indicator 4.1

Newsletter produced and distributed annually.

Action 4.2: The DEC and Councils will raise awareness of, and encourage community involvement in, the recovery program

The DEC, Wollongong City Council, Shellharbour City Council and Kiama Municipal Council will raise awareness of the recovery program amongst community groups and interested individuals, and will encourage involvement in the implementation of recovery actions including survey, monitoring and bush regeneration. The DEC will also liaise with Landcare Illawarra to encourage Landcare groups to become involved in the recovery program.

Shoalhaven City Council has advised that it will not be responsible for the implementation of this action.

Performance Criterion 4.2

Community groups and volunteers are aware of the recovery program and involved in the implementation of recovery actions.

Action 4.3: The DEC and Councils will issue press releases to highlight the implementation of key events in the implementation of the recovery plan

The DEC, Wollongong City Council, Shellharbour City Council and Kiama Municipal Council will issue press releases that highlight key events in the implementation of this recovery plan. Such key events may include the signing of conservation agreements, the discovery of new sites, the establishment of new bush regeneration groups etc.

Shoalhaven City Council has advised that it will not be responsible for the implementation of this action.

Performance Criterion 4.3

Media coverage of key events associated with the implementation of this recovery plan achieved.

Given the cryptic nature of I. trypherus and its tendency to occupy difficult to access habitats, it is likely that our knowledge of the distribution of the species (see Section 5) is incomplete. Actions under this objective aim to establish the extent of the distribution of the species through predictive modelling and the targeted survey of potential habitat.

Action 5.1: The DEC will undertake predictive modelling of potential habitat for the species

Performance Criterion 5.1

Potential habitat for the species determined within one year.

Action 5.2: The DEC will coordinate targeted surveys for the species

Performance Criterion 5.2

High quality potential habitat for the species surveyed within three years, subject to landholder approval.

Actions under this objective aim to improve our knowledge of aspects of the ecology and biology of the species that will assist in its practical management.

Action 6.1: The DEC will coordinate investigations into essential aspects of species biology and ecology as identified in this recovery plan

The DEC will liaise with local research institutions (including Universities and Botanic Gardens) to encourage and facilitate research into the species that is consistent with the priorities outlined in Section 8.2. Where possible, the DEC will undertake components of this research program.

Action 6.2: The DEC will investigate basic aspects of the seed biology of the species

Performance Criterion 6

Investigations into essential aspects of the biology and ecology of I. trypherus commenced within two years.

As discussed in Section 8.5, the implementation of an ex-situ conservation program is considered to be a necessary contingency measure to safeguard I. trypherus against the potential loss of genetic material that may result from any future local extinctions. Actions under this objective aim to facilitate the implementation of such a program.

Action 7.1: The DEC will aim to collect a representative sample of seed from each confirmed site for placement in long-term storage

Action 7.2: The DEC will undertake the long-term storage of seed that is collected under Action 7.1

Performance Criterion 7

A representative sample of seed collected from each confirmed site and placed in long-term storage within two years, subject to landholder approval.